How Europe’s FIFTH-WORST team – ranked 157th in the world – can qualify for Euro 2024 tonight… with just one win needed to make it to Germany despite only two victories and a goal a game so far
- Moldova are fourth in Group E but can still qualify for Euro 2024
- They have to beat the Czech Republic on Monday evening
- Southgate’s loyalty to his players is a problem and a weakness It all starts
Europe’s fifth-worst team is just one win away from qualifying for Euro 2024.
Ranked as the 157th team in the world by FIFA, the team is only ahead of Malta, Andorra, San Marino and Liechtenstein in the UEFA Nations League rankings.
And yet, despite having won just two of the 2024 European Championship qualifiers so far and averaging just one goal per match, it could qualify for its first ever match with a win on Monday evening major tournament.
The country in question is Moldova, who are currently fourth in Group E with 10 points and will play the Czech Republic in Olomuc in their final qualifying match.
The Czechs are currently second, two points ahead of Moldova, and will join Albania in Germany next summer as long as they avoid defeat on Monday evening.
Moldova could qualify for Euro 2024 if they beat the Czech Republic on Monday evening
Qualifying for Euro 2024 would be an astonishing achievement for Moldova, who are currently the 51st team in Europe and only made their professional debut in 1991, shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The Tricolors, regular bottom dwellers in the Nations League, finished second in League D Group 1 with 13 points in six games, but missed out on promotion to League C to Latvia due to goal difference.
Serghei Cleșcenco’s men looked destined for further disappointment after picking up just two points in their first three European Championship qualifiers, scoring just once.
Ion Nicolaescu’s late penalty earned them a point against the Faroe Islands, before a 0-0 draw against the Czech Republic was followed by a 2-0 defeat in Albania.
Nicolaescu was on target again in June as Moldova stunned Poland 3-2 in Chisinau in a match that accounted for almost half of the seven goals they have scored in Group E so far.
After first-half goals from Arkadiusz Milik and Robert Lewandowski, Moldova leveled ten minutes from time thanks to a Nicolaescu brace, before Vladyslav Babohlo sealed a famous comeback in the 85th minute.
Vadim Rata scored the only goal of the match as Moldova beat the Faroe Islands 1-0, while Nicolaescu scored his fourth of the campaign in a 1-1 away draw in Poland last month.
On Friday, a Babohlo goal in the 87th minute gave Moldova a 1-1 draw against Albania and a potentially crucial point in their quest to qualify for their first major tournament.
Ion Nicolaescu scored four goals in the qualifying campaign, three of which came in two games against Poland
Serghei Clescenco’s men are fourth in Group E with 10 points after seven games
Moldova has a firm grip on their destiny, but these are largely uncharted waters for the Tricolors.
With the exception of the 2008 European Championship qualifiers, Moldova have finished last or second in their group in all the qualifying campaigns they have participated in so far, going all the way back to the 1996 European Championship qualifiers.
Elsewhere, Albania will win Group E if they beat the Faroe Islands at home, while third-placed Poland are assured of a play-off spot after gaining 11 points in their eight matches.
UEFA’s complicated qualification process means the Czech Republic will miss out on a play-off spot if it loses to Moldova, despite still finishing one point above Poland.